Abstract

FOLK MEDICINE AS PRACTICED IN BIROI VILLAGE OF MYMENSINGH DISTRICT, BANGLADESH

Asma Akhter, Rukaiya Begum, Priangka Khanom, Sonya Akter, Ishita Malek, Mohammed Rahmatullah*

ABSTRACT

Background: Folk medicine is widely practiced in Bangladesh and folk medicinal practitioners (FMPs) differ widely as to the plants used for treatment as well as treatment of specific diseases. Since this form of traditional medicinal practice has been going for time immemorial, FMPs have accumulated a large body of knowledge on the medicinal properties of plants. This knowledge is worth documenting for scientific purposes for they can form the basis of experiments leading to new drug discoveries. The objective of the present study was to document the medicinal plants used and diseases treated by two FMPs of Biroi village in Mymernsingh district, Bangladesh. Methods: Interview of the two FMPs was carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. Results: FMP1 used a total of 54 plants distributed into 35 families for treatment. FMP2 used a total of 42 plants distributed into 33 families for treatment. Selection of plants and diseases treated differed considerably between the two FMPs. Conclusion: The results suggest that the medicinal plant knowledge of the FMPs can prove to be useful for further focused scientific experiments towards discovery of new drugs.

Keywords: Folk medicine, medicinal plants, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.